Rotary Motor With Intermittent Movements of the Rotors

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a rotary motor comprising a first rotor member rotatable about a first axis; and a transmission system for rotating the first rotor member and the second rotor member; characterised in that the first rotor member and the second rotor member are adapted to rotate at variable angular velocities.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to a novel rotary motor.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Rotary motors are well known for use in a wide variety of applications, including internal combustion engines for vehicles, compressors, pumps and the like.

A wide variety of rotary type internal combustion engines have been proposed and developed in the past. In particular, the Wankel rotary engine is well known. This includes a substantially laminar rotor member which revolves about a moving axis. The rotor member is a laminar plate in the shape of a triangle having convex sides. The plate rotates about the moving axis within a chamber, which is configured and dimensioned to be slightly wider than the width of the plate member, and having a inner shape which complements the rotated shape of the plate member.

Further, a variety of compressors and engines are known which incorporate rotor members having vane-type shapes.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel rotary motor that provides a useful and functional alternative to the prior art. The term “rotary motor” herein includes both an internal combustion engine and a compressor, pump or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a rotary motor comprising:

-   -   a first rotor member rotatable about a first axis;     -   a second rotor member rotatable about a second axis; and     -   a transmission system for rotating the first rotor member and         the second rotor member; characterised in that     -   the first rotor member and the second rotor member are adapted         to rotate at variable angular velocities.

Also according to the invention the angular velocity of the first rotor and of the second rotor differ from one another during a rotational cycle of the motor. Preferably through 360° in respect of each rotor.

Further according to the invention the first rotor member and the second rotor member may be dimensioned and configured to enclose a compression chamber between them as they rotate.

Thus the first rotor member and the second rotor member may each include vanes extending radially outwardly and having receiving formations between them, with the receiving formations of the first rotor member being dimensioned and configured for receiving vanes from the second rotor member and the receiving formations of the second rotor member being dimensioned and configured for receiving vanes from the first rotor member during rotation of the rotor members.

The first rotor member and the second rotor member may be rotationally coupled to each other by means of a transmission system.

The transmission system may comprise a plurality of gears, which may be partially of a first radius and partially of a second radius.

The gears may be of variable radius.

In one arrangement of the invention the transmission system may be adapted to drive the first rotor member at a first angular velocity and the second rotor member at a second angular velocity for at least part of a revolution, and then drive the first rotor member at the second angular velocity and the second rotor member at the first angular velocity for the complementary part of the revolution.

The first axis may be parallel to the second axis and the first rotor member and the second rotor member may be enclosed on two sides by a housing to form chambers within the housing.

Further according to the invention, each vane terminates at its free end in a radially expansible section adapted to follow the contour of the chambers in the housing. With such an arrangement, the housing could be extended radially outwardly at opposed zones thereof to form a generally elliptically shaped structure.

The rotary motor in the form of an internal combustion engine may further comprise an inlet passage for introducing air into the compression chamber and an outlet passage for exhausting gasses from the compression chamber; means for introducing fuel into the compression chamber at predetermined zones; and ignition means for igniting fuel introduced into the compression chamber.

These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below without limiting the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which

FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of an internal combustion engine according to the invention, without the housing;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic front view of a first rotor member and a second rotor member and transmission as shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 a to 3 f are schematic plan views of the first rotor member and the second rotor member and their movement relative to each other;

FIGS. 4 a to 4 d are schematic plan views of the gears in the transmission system to cause movement of the rotor members;

FIG. 5 is a graph of the angular position of a first rotor and a second rotor against the angular position of the drive shaft during one revolution of the transmission system;

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of an inlet port and an outlet port in a side plate which forms part of the housing of the motor of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of a first rotor member and a second rotor member wherein radially outwardly directed vanes of the rotors each include an extensible front end section;

FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view of opposed chambers within the first rotor member and the second rotor member rotate, such chambers being extended outwardly to modify the compression and expansion characteristics of the motor; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a timing arrangement which duplicates the movement of the vanes of the first rotor member and the second rotor member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like features, a rotary motor, in this instance an internal combustion engine, is generally indicated by reference numeral 10. In a different configuration, not shown, the rotary member could also be applied as a compressor, pump or the like.

The internal combustion engine 10 comprises a first rotor member 20 rotatable about a first axis embodied by a first rotor shaft 30; a second rotor member 40 rotatable about a second axis embodied by a second rotor shaft 50 parallel to the first rotor shaft 30; and a gear system 60 for rotating the first rotor member 20 and the second rotor member 40; wherein the first rotor 20 member and the second rotor member 40 are adapted to rotate at variable angular velocities, and at different angular velocities.

In the embodiment shown, the first rotor member 20 and the second rotor member 40 are dimensioned and configured to enclose a combustion chamber 200 between them as they rotate, as shown in FIGS. 3 a to 3 f. The first rotor member 20 and the second rotor member 40 both have engagement surfaces 21 and 41 respectively on opposing sides of each rotor. Operationally, the rotors 20 and 40 will be enclosed on either side by a housing shown schematically at 55 to prevent combustion outlet gasses escaping from the sides of the rotors 20 and 40 in operation. The housing can comprise a pair of plate members 56 located on either side of the rotors 20 and 40. It is envisaged that the flat sides of the rotor members 20 and 40 will be sealed against the plates by a suitable sealing means (not shown). The housing 55 includes a pair of circular chambers 56 which intersect as shown in FIG. 8 and within which the rotor members 20 and 40 rotate. With reference to FIG. 8, the generally circular chambers 56 can be modified for example by a radially outward extension 57 on the periphery thereof in order to modify the compression and expansion of the combustion chamber 200 as explained in more detail below.

The first rotor member 20 and the second rotor 40 member each comprise a plurality of vanes 25 and 45 respectively, extending radially outwardly and having receiving formations 26 and 46 respectively, between them, which receiving formations 26 and 46 are dimensioned and configured for operationally receiving vanes from the other rotor member. In one embodiment of the invention, the free ends of the vane formations 25 and 45 will be provided with radially extensible end sections 25 a and 45 a which are adapted to follow the curvature in the receiving formations 26 and 46. Such extensible end sections will also be able to follow the periphery of the internal chambers 56, FIG. 8, where these are enlarged radially outwardly as shown by the area 57. As stated above, the enlarged area 57 will influence the entrainment of air into the chamber 57, the compression thereof, and the expansion of combustion gasses.

With reference to FIG. 1, the gear system 60 couples the first rotor member 20 and the second rotor member 40 to each other so that they may only move through a predetermined sequence of movements relative to each other. The gear system 60 comprises a plurality of gears and shafts, including the drive gear set 70 located on a drive shaft 73, the first timing gear set 80 located on a first timing shaft 100 and the second timing gear set 90 located on a second timing shaft 110.

The drive gear set is comprised of a large size gear 71 and a small size gear 72 located next to each other on a drive shaft 73. The tooth set of the large gear 71 extends for only 180 degrees around the drive shaft, while the tooth set of the small gear 72 extends around the complementary 180 degrees of the drive shaft 73.

Similarly, the first and second timing gear sets 80 and 90 are comprised of large gears 81 and 91, and small gears 82 and 92 located next to each other on the first and second timing shaft 100 and 110. The tooth sets of each of the large gears 81 and 91 extends around the first and second timing shafts 100 and 110 for 90 degrees, while the tooth sets of each of the small gears 82 and 92 extends for 270 degrees (the complementary angle) around the first and second timing shafts 100 and 110.

The first timing gear set 80 and the second timing gear set 90 communicate with the drive gear set 70 (as shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 d) so that at some stages the larger gear 71 of the drive gear set 70 drives the smaller gears 82 and 92 of the first timing gear set 80 and the second timing gear set 90 respectively, and at other stages the smaller gear 72 of the drive gear set 70 drives the larger gear 81 and 91 of the first timing gear set 80 and the second timing gear set 90 respectively.

This interaction of the smaller gears with the larger gears at various stages will result in the first rotor member 20 and second rotor member 40 having different angular velocities at different stages during one revolution of the drive gear set 70. A graph of the angular velocities of the first and second rotor members 40 and 20 is shown in FIG. 5. The graph shown in FIG. 5 need not be comprised of linear lines, and could for example have curved zones, in the lower graph prior to exchange of direction, and in the upper graph prior to the end thereof. The effect will be that the compression and expansion chambers of the motor of the invention will be of unequal maximum volumes.

The first timing gear set 80 and the second timing gear set 90 drive a first timing shaft 100 and a second timing shaft 110 respectively. The first timing shaft 100 and a second timing shaft 110 in turn drive a first reduction gear set 120 and a second reduction gear set 130 respectively, which drive the rotor members 20 and 40 in opposite directions through a first final drive cog 140 and a second final drive cog 150.

It is envisaged that both the small gears and the large gears for each of the drive gear set 70, the first timing gear set 80 and the second timing gear set 90 can be incorporated on a single gear cog, or a continuously variable transmission may be used. It should be noted that the results achieved by the gears described herein could be achieved by various arrangements of gears, not shown, and the invention is not limited to the gear arrangements illustrated in FIGS. 4 a to 4 d.

The second reduction gear 130 set has an extra reversal cog 131 to allow for the reversal of direction of the second rotor member 40.

In addition to the timing gear sets 80 and 90, there are various alternative arrangements, whereby movement of the rotor members 20 and 40 can be controlled. One such arrangement is for example shown schematically in FIG. 9 wherein templates 63 which could be secured to the axes 30 and 50 of the rotors 20 and 40 respectively are provided, the templates including cam formations 61 in the form of grooves which equate the movement of the vanes 25, 45. Such cam formations 61 are followed by followers in the form of pins 62. The template 63 and follows 62 will thus duplicate the movement as the rotors 20 and 40. Doubtless other variations are also possible.

The rotary motor operating as an internal combustion engine 10 further comprises an inlet passage shown schematically at 51, FIG. 6, for introducing air 52 into the combustion chamber 200 formed by the rotors 20 and 40. Further, the internal combustion engine 10 comprises an outlet passage shown schematically at 53, FIG. 6, for exhausting combustion gasses 54 from the combustion chamber 200. It is also contemplated that the internal combustion engine 10 comprises means, such as fuel injectors (not shown) or a carburetor (not shown) for introducing fuel (not shown) into the combustion chamber 200 at predetermined points, either by injecting it directly into the combustion chamber 200 or letting it flow into the combustion chamber 200 together with air introduced through the inlet passage.

The internal combustion engine 10 also includes ignition means (not shown), such as a spark plug, for igniting the fuel and air mixture in the combustion chamber 200. It is envisaged that high compression within the combustion chamber 200 may allow the use of diesel or other similar fuels for compression-ignition operation.

Operationally, drive gear set 70 will drive the first timing gear set 80 and second timing gear set 90. The drive gear set 70 and the respective timing gear sets 80 and 90 are arranged so that, for each revolution of the drive shaft 73, the first timing shaft 100 is driven at a different angular velocity relative to the second timing shaft 110 for at least part of each revolution, after which the angular velocities of the first and second timing shafts 10 and 110 are reversed as shown in FIG. 5.

The timing shafts drive the first reduction gear set 120 and the second reduction gear set 130, which then drive the first rotor member and the second rotor members respectively. The direction of the second rotor member 40 is reversed by the inclusion of the reversal cog 131 in the second reduction gear set 130, so that the first rotor member 20 and second rotor member 40 turn in opposite directions as shown in FIGS. 3 a to 3 f.

FIGS. 3 a to 3 f show how the rotor members 20 and 40 rotate relative to each other. In FIG. 3 a, the first rotor member 20 is rotating faster than the second rotor member 40. As a vane 25 on the first rotor member 20 is received into a receiving formation 46 (disposed between the two vanes 45 on the second rotor member 40) on the second rotor member 40, an enclosed combustion chamber 200 is formed.

At this stage, a combustible mixture of air and fuel shown at 52, FIG. 6, is introduced into the combustion chamber 200. It is envisaged that this mixture may be introduced by known means, such as by using a carburetor and introducing the mixture through the inlet, or by injecting a fine mist of fuel into the combustion chamber 200 by means of a fuel injector (not shown) to mix in the combustion chamber 200 with air introduced through the inlet passage. In one arrangement, small auxiliary combustion chambers 22, FIG. 2, in the vanes 25 and 45 as illustrated may be provided to enhance the combustion process. It is envisaged that fuel injection will be directed to the small chambers 22.

As the first and second rotor members 20 and 40 continue rotating at unequal angular velocities, the combustion chamber 200 becomes reduced in size, thereby compressing the fuel and air mixture (as shown in FIGS. 3 b and 3 c). At the stage shown in FIG. 3 c, the angular velocities of the first and second rotor members will change so that the slower rotor member (the second rotor member 40) will now become the faster moving of the two rotor members 20 and 40, and vice versa for the first rotor member 20.

The compressed fuel/air mixture 52 in the compressed combustion chamber 200 is now ignited by the ignition means. The ignition of the fuel/air mixture causes expansion of the gasses within the combustion chamber 200. The combustion chamber 200 expands, driving the second rotor member in an anticlockwise direction as shown in FIG. 3 d. Simultaneously, another combustion chamber 200 is being formed by the interaction of the vanes and receiving formations on the first and second rotor members 20 and 40 as shown in FIG. 3 e. It has been found that prior to the formation of the closed combustion chamber 200 in FIG. 3 a, the volume thereof is decreased and excessive air is ducted into the adjacent chamber 201 whereby the pressure in the adjacent chamber 201 is increased to greater than ambient air pressure. It will be noted that the same effect occurs as the chamber 201 is reduced in volume by the interaction of the vanes 25 and 45 for example as shown in FIGS. 3 c and 3 d. The result of such transfer of fluid results in a greater efficiency of the internal combustion engine.

The combustion gasses 54 in the combustion chamber 200 are then exhausted through an outlet passage 53 in the housing 55. The outlet passage 53 may be located to the side of the rotor members 20 and 40 in the housing 55, FIG. 6.

It can be seen that the expansion of gasses in the ignited fuel/air mixture in the initial combustion chamber 200 in FIGS. 3 a and 3 b help to compress the fuel/air mixture for the following combustion chamber 201 being formed in FIGS. 3 e and 3 f.

It is envisaged that this basic principle of operation may be used in a wide variety of configurations, and that a wide variety of shapes may be used as rotor members 20, 40, in order to maximise the volume of fuel/air mixture 52 compressed, or to maximise the time during which the ignited fuel air mixture acts against the vanes 45.

It is envisaged that the gear system 60 may be a planetary type gear system. It is further envisaged, due to the elongated shape of the combustion chamber 200, that two ignition means, in the form of spark plugs, may be used to ignite the fuel air mixture 52 at either end of the combustion chamber 200. For the same reason, it is preferable to employ two fuel injectors, not shown, in spaced relationship for the elongate combustion chamber 200.

It is further envisaged that the vanes 25 and 45 and receiving formations 26 and 46 of the rotors 20 and 40 may include combustion enhancing formations to enhance combustion efficiency.

It will be appreciated that the above is only one embodiment of the invention, and that many variations in detail are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a set of rotor members may be arranged in a circular formation around a single inlet passage 51 or outlet passage 53. Also, rotor members 20, 40, with less pronounced vanes 25, 45, may be used for purposes of strength or reliability, and in a wide variety of shapes. In a further embodiment, it is envisaged that a plurality of rotor members 20, 40, may be located around a single central rotor member so as to cause the formation of a plurality of combustion chambers with the central rotor member. In an even further embodiment, it is envisaged that one of the interacting rotor members 20, 40, may be held stationary while one or more rotating rotor members may rotate around the stationary rotor member, while still interacting with the stationary rotor member in the same manner as described above. It is further envisaged that in such an embodiment, the plurality of rotor members rotating about the stationary one rotor member may be phased in their timing so that combustion will not occur in all the combustion chambers at the same time, but will occur at regular intervals.

In yet another embodiment, it is envisaged that a number of rotors may be located on the same shaft, with each rotor interacting with a corresponding rotor as a rotor set. Each of these rotor sets may be in synchronisation with each other, or may be phased so that they are out of synchronisation with each other. 

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A rotary Motor comprising: a first rotor member rotatable about a first axis; a second rotor member rotatable about a second axis; and a transmission system for rotating the first rotor member and the second rotor member; the first rotor member and the second rotor member being adapted to rotate at variable angular velocities characterised in that: in a 360° cycle of the rotors, from a starting position the first rotor is rotated at a first average rotational velocity, and the second rotor at a different average rotational velocity for part of a revolution and thereafter the average rotational velocity of the first rotor and the average rotational velocity of the second rotor are changed for a subsequent part of a revolution of that after 360° rotation of the rotors, the rotors again assume the starting position.
 18. The rotary motor according to claim 17 wherein the first rotor member and the second rotor member each include vanes extending radially outwardly and having receiving formations between them with the receiving formations of the first rotor member being dimensioned and configured for receiving the vanes from the second rotor member and receiving formations of the second rotor member being dimensioned and configured for receiving the vanes from the first rotor member, with compression chambers formed in the receiving formations as the rotors rotate.
 19. The rotary motor according to claim 17 wherein the first rotor member and the second rotor member each include a plurality of radially extending vanes; and the rotors reassume the starting position at a plurality of rotational positions during a 360° rotational cycle.
 20. The rotary motor according to claim 17 wherein the housing includes internal chambers within which the first and the second rotor members rotate, and the internal chambers are extended outwardly at opposed zones thereof to form a generally elliptically shaped structure.
 21. The rotary motor according to claim 20 wherein all or selected vanes terminate at their free ends in a radially extendible section adapted to follow the contour of the internal chambers within the housing.
 22. The rotary motor according to claim 17 wherein the first rotor member and the second rotor member are coupled to each other for rotation by means of a transmission system.
 23. The rotary motor according to claim 22 wherein the transmission system is adapted to drive the first rotor member at a first angular velocity and the second rotor member at a second angular velocity for at least part of a revolution, and thereafter drive the first rotor member at the second angular velocity and the second rotor member at the first angular velocity for the complementary part of the revolution.
 24. The rotary motor according to claim 22 wherein the transmission system comprises a plurality of gears which are partially of a first radius and partially of a second radius.
 25. The rotary motor according to claim 22 wherein the gears are of a variable radius.
 26. The rotary motor according to claim 18 wherein the housing includes an inlet passage for introducing air into the compression chamber, an outlet passage for exhausting gasses from the compression chamber, means for introducing fuel into the compression chamber at predetermined zones, and ignition means for igniting fuel introduced into the compression chamber.
 27. A rotary motor substantially as herein described and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings. 